The Bowie Jackrabbits have found their next boys basketball coach.
Ryan Dykes was officially named at Thursday night’s school board meeting. Along with basketball, Dykes also will coach cross country and be the junior high PE teacher as well.
He takes over for the departing Andy Atkins, who after three years had a 54-35 record with three playoff appearances along with a run to the regional quarterfinals this season.
Atkins is still with the district as he transitions to the administration side and takes the assistant principal position at the high school.
Athletic director Tyler Price said the main thing that impressed him about Dykes was how he conducted himself.
“His positive energy and ability to build relationships really set him apart,” Price said. “His organizational skills are great. He always has a plan. I think he will do a great job here and he’ll have the ability to lead this team and this program to good things. He can carry on with what Andy has started.”
Dykes comes to Bowie most recently from Boyd, but has spent time at Decatur, Frenship, Lubbock Trinity Christian, Smyer, Silverton and Pampa during his 25 years of experience.
About half of that time was serving as an assistant, but he does have 13 years of head coaching experience and has picked up 267 wins during that time. Dykes has been a part of nine teams that have reached the regional tournament and one team that has made it to the state tournament.
A graduate from Plainview High School in 1992, he said playing under Coach Carl Irlbeck, who had more than 1,000 wins in his career and is in the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame, inspired him to want to pursue coaching.
“Just the mentorship and the role model he provided for me inspired me to want to do that for future generation,” Dykes said. “Just to see how much athletics can teach people that will determine their character for their adulthood, I just feel so fortunate and so blessed. His impact on me is what directed me this way and allowed me to make a great profession of it.”

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.